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Discipleship That Fits: The Five Kinds of Relationships God Uses to Help Us Grow
For far too long, the church has tried to make disciples using a one-size-fits-all approach. Some churches advocate 1-on-1 discipling, others try getting everyone into a small group, while still others training through mission trips or service projects. Yet others focus all their efforts on attracting people to a large group gathering to hear biblical teaching and preaching. But does one size really fit everyone? Based on careful biblical study and years of experience making disciples in the local church, Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom have identified five key relationships where discipleship happens in our lives. In each relational context we need to understand how discipleship occurs and we need to set appropriate expectations for each context. Discipleship That Fits shows you the five key ways discipleship occurs. It looks at how Jesus made disciples and how disciples were formed in the early church. Each of the contexts is necessary at different times and in different ways as a person grows toward maturity in Filled with examples and stories, Alex and Bobby show you how to develop discipleship practices in each relational context by sharing how Jesus did it, how the early church practiced it, and how churches are discipling people today.
240 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2016
76 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Bobby William Harrington
5 books1 followerBobby Harrington is the co-founder of discipleship.org and the founding and lead pastor of Harpeth Christian Church (19 years). He is the chairman of the board for the Relational Discipleship Network and the co-author of DiscipleShift, Dedicated: Training Your Children to Trust and Follow Jesus, and Discipleship that Fits. He has been married to Cindy for over 35 years and they have two adult children who are disciples of Jesus.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 27, 2021
Powerful & Practical!
I really enjoyed the down to earth practical ideas and powerful principles to get back to the basics of Discipleship!
I really enjoyed the down to earth practical ideas and powerful principles to get back to the basics of Discipleship!
April 28, 2022
Interesting. Very practical.
June 10, 2025
A really helpful look at discipleship in the different contexts. At times the book feels overwhelming because you want to dive into discipleship in each. It is helpful as a reader to remember that there is a time and place for each context and they may look different, in different season.
Worth-while read. Ideas I have been considering for a long time, so it was encouraging to see them on paper.
Worth-while read. Ideas I have been considering for a long time, so it was encouraging to see them on paper.
May 14, 2021
Review Title: Discipling Disciples (Review of Discipleship That Fits by Bobby Harrington and Alex Absolom)
Reviewer: Janice S. Garey
***** 5 Stars
The secondary title of this book, The Five Kinds of Relationships God uses to Help Us Grow, explains what to expect from this 224 page book. As a member of a community church formed with the mission of making disciples who make disciples, I found this book very relevant. The authors have gathered together information from personal experience and from other resources to help churches and ministries to become more intentional in disciple making.
I appreciated that Discipleship That Fits relates to all denominations rather than being specific to one brand. The five universal contexts of interactions covered in the book are: public; social; personal; transparent; and, divine. A realization of the differences between each context gives great insight to leaders while in the planning process.
Expectations regarding participant's reactions within the various contexts are clearly presented. At what level will barriers be broken down that would prohibit a person from sharing personal info with a larger group? Ministries need to grasp the importance of each context, and realize that if one is missing, opportunities to gather in potential disciples will be lost.
Ministry leaders receive the benefit of guidance and wisdom presented in this book. It will impact the learning curve of those hoping to make disciples who make disciples by decreasing trial and error experiments to find what works best. Individual church members will benefit from reading the book to get a clearer understanding of the hierarchy of the contexts. They will be better prepared to assist in the church mission. The book becomes like a blueprint for building a discipleship program which fits the needs in a community. Expect it to foster spiritual growth when its instruction is put into practice.
I received an ebook free of charge through netgalley in exchange for posting an honest review after reading. I have expressed my honest opinion. I am under no obligation to give a positive review. I later bought this in a soft cover book to share with church friends.
Reviewer: Janice S. Garey
***** 5 Stars
The secondary title of this book, The Five Kinds of Relationships God uses to Help Us Grow, explains what to expect from this 224 page book. As a member of a community church formed with the mission of making disciples who make disciples, I found this book very relevant. The authors have gathered together information from personal experience and from other resources to help churches and ministries to become more intentional in disciple making.
I appreciated that Discipleship That Fits relates to all denominations rather than being specific to one brand. The five universal contexts of interactions covered in the book are: public; social; personal; transparent; and, divine. A realization of the differences between each context gives great insight to leaders while in the planning process.
Expectations regarding participant's reactions within the various contexts are clearly presented. At what level will barriers be broken down that would prohibit a person from sharing personal info with a larger group? Ministries need to grasp the importance of each context, and realize that if one is missing, opportunities to gather in potential disciples will be lost.
Ministry leaders receive the benefit of guidance and wisdom presented in this book. It will impact the learning curve of those hoping to make disciples who make disciples by decreasing trial and error experiments to find what works best. Individual church members will benefit from reading the book to get a clearer understanding of the hierarchy of the contexts. They will be better prepared to assist in the church mission. The book becomes like a blueprint for building a discipleship program which fits the needs in a community. Expect it to foster spiritual growth when its instruction is put into practice.
I received an ebook free of charge through netgalley in exchange for posting an honest review after reading. I have expressed my honest opinion. I am under no obligation to give a positive review. I later bought this in a soft cover book to share with church friends.
December 15, 2016
have to say that after reading this book I found the title to be a bit misleading. The title, "Discipleship that Fits," plus the tagline on the back cover, "One size does not fit all," implied to me that I could choose from one of the five ways of discipleship. That isn't exactly how it works. The authors do a good job of describing five environments where discipleship takes place: public relationships, social relationships, personal relationships, transparent relationships and divine relationship. They even state why we might prefer one of these ways over another. However, the authors do not let us get away with choosing just one way at the neglect of the others. In other words, we can't just go to church to grow while not spending personal time in the Word or in smaller group settings.
The book does a great job of putting discipleship in a bigger context. It gives some great instruction and suggestions. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in growing spiritually, just don't expect the answers to be comfortable ones
The book does a great job of putting discipleship in a bigger context. It gives some great instruction and suggestions. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in growing spiritually, just don't expect the answers to be comfortable ones
July 6, 2017
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." That is central to what Christian life, and the work of the church, is all about: discipling/disciple-making. And in this book, Harrington and Absalom have put together an excellent treatment of the five different relational contexts in which that takes place, rather than (as is so common with 'discipleship' literature) focusing almost exclusively on the third and fourth or (as is so common with 'church' literature) focusing almost exclusively on the first.
Before they take us there, though, they make clear their terms (contrary to the critiques of some reviewers): a disciple is "someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and is committed to Jesus' kingdom mission" (16), and so discipleship (which, like evangelism, is needed both prior to conversion and after it) is shaping someone as an apprentice of Jesus. When the authors say that discipleship is "not 'one-size-fits-all,'" what they mean is that discipleship does not occur purely in one context, one mode of person-relating-to-person, but happens in any of the five basic relationships/contexts that Harrington and Absalom describe (drawing on the field of proxemics) - though thorough discipleship requires all five, and all five can be illustrated from the Gospels.
First, they examine the public context, which tends to involve groups over 100 in number who are jointly focused on some external resource - shoppers at a supermarket relate in a public context, as do church worship services, in Harrington and Absalom's estimation. (Though note that this assumption slightly limits the applicability to smaller churches!) Preaching in a worship service provides public-context discipleship, as Jesus did when teaching the crowds; but the authors discuss other forms of public-context discipleship also.
Second, they examine the social context, which tends to involve groups 20-70 in number - for instance, interactions at a backyard cookout, or among regulars at a coffee shop, or the parents gathered around a children's soccer game. (Focus on ministry at the social-context level is a weakness in the American church, generally speaking, though Mike Breen and others have done some work on "missional communities" of this size.) As illustrated both in Jesus' teaching of the Seventy and in his social-context discipleship at the dinner party with Matthew's tax-collector associates, such discipleship efforts work to build loving community, may serve a common mission, and provide a venue for people to practice their gifts and talents.
Third, they examine the personal context, which tends to involve groups 4-12 in number - for instance, friends going out to dinner, but also small groups, Bible studies, etc., in which participants may feel more comfortable revealing personal information. Personal-context discipleship, as when Jesus invested time in the Twelve, is more characterized by closeness, support, and challenge (with greater accountability for growth in grace).
Fourth, they examine the transparent context, which tends to involve groups 2-4 in number - for instance, a marriage, a close friendship, but also a discipleship triad or a one-on-one mentoring relationship, all of which facilitate much more direct involvement. Transparent-context discipleship, as when Jesus related to his inner circle or had one-on-one meetings with figures like the Woman at the Well, is more characterized by intimacy, openness, and impact.
And finally, though sitting a bit awkwardly with the others, they examine the divine context, which is not a group enterprise but the relationship of God to an individual person, as when Jesus spent sessions in solitary prayer to his Father. The three major goals in the divine context are to discover our identity as God's beloved children in Christ, to be guided by God into the personal destiny to which he calls us, and to allow his truth to reshape us from the inside-out. Discipleship at the divine context involves modeling spiritual disciplines that facilitate a healthier relationship with God.
The authors are insistent - and rightly so - that we need to stop expecting truly fruitful discipleship to happen when it occurs in only one or two of these contexts. Instead, a sustainable rhythm of a disciple-making culture for Christian living will cultivate discipleship at all five contexts. In exploring these five areas, Harrington and Absalom, in my opinion, go beyond even Greg Ogden's work on triads, Mike Breen's work on missional communities, or Four-Tier Discipleship to a more well-rounded approach to discipleship as potentially occurring at all five contexts. An important read for church leaders, certainly, but for others as well.
Before they take us there, though, they make clear their terms (contrary to the critiques of some reviewers): a disciple is "someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and is committed to Jesus' kingdom mission" (16), and so discipleship (which, like evangelism, is needed both prior to conversion and after it) is shaping someone as an apprentice of Jesus. When the authors say that discipleship is "not 'one-size-fits-all,'" what they mean is that discipleship does not occur purely in one context, one mode of person-relating-to-person, but happens in any of the five basic relationships/contexts that Harrington and Absalom describe (drawing on the field of proxemics) - though thorough discipleship requires all five, and all five can be illustrated from the Gospels.
First, they examine the public context, which tends to involve groups over 100 in number who are jointly focused on some external resource - shoppers at a supermarket relate in a public context, as do church worship services, in Harrington and Absalom's estimation. (Though note that this assumption slightly limits the applicability to smaller churches!) Preaching in a worship service provides public-context discipleship, as Jesus did when teaching the crowds; but the authors discuss other forms of public-context discipleship also.
Second, they examine the social context, which tends to involve groups 20-70 in number - for instance, interactions at a backyard cookout, or among regulars at a coffee shop, or the parents gathered around a children's soccer game. (Focus on ministry at the social-context level is a weakness in the American church, generally speaking, though Mike Breen and others have done some work on "missional communities" of this size.) As illustrated both in Jesus' teaching of the Seventy and in his social-context discipleship at the dinner party with Matthew's tax-collector associates, such discipleship efforts work to build loving community, may serve a common mission, and provide a venue for people to practice their gifts and talents.
Third, they examine the personal context, which tends to involve groups 4-12 in number - for instance, friends going out to dinner, but also small groups, Bible studies, etc., in which participants may feel more comfortable revealing personal information. Personal-context discipleship, as when Jesus invested time in the Twelve, is more characterized by closeness, support, and challenge (with greater accountability for growth in grace).
Fourth, they examine the transparent context, which tends to involve groups 2-4 in number - for instance, a marriage, a close friendship, but also a discipleship triad or a one-on-one mentoring relationship, all of which facilitate much more direct involvement. Transparent-context discipleship, as when Jesus related to his inner circle or had one-on-one meetings with figures like the Woman at the Well, is more characterized by intimacy, openness, and impact.
And finally, though sitting a bit awkwardly with the others, they examine the divine context, which is not a group enterprise but the relationship of God to an individual person, as when Jesus spent sessions in solitary prayer to his Father. The three major goals in the divine context are to discover our identity as God's beloved children in Christ, to be guided by God into the personal destiny to which he calls us, and to allow his truth to reshape us from the inside-out. Discipleship at the divine context involves modeling spiritual disciplines that facilitate a healthier relationship with God.
The authors are insistent - and rightly so - that we need to stop expecting truly fruitful discipleship to happen when it occurs in only one or two of these contexts. Instead, a sustainable rhythm of a disciple-making culture for Christian living will cultivate discipleship at all five contexts. In exploring these five areas, Harrington and Absalom, in my opinion, go beyond even Greg Ogden's work on triads, Mike Breen's work on missional communities, or Four-Tier Discipleship to a more well-rounded approach to discipleship as potentially occurring at all five contexts. An important read for church leaders, certainly, but for others as well.
January 14, 2020
This was a great read for everyone seeking new organizational structures for Christian churches into a post-church era. I agree that the title doesn’t exactly give you an idea of what’s coming, but what does come is great.
The authors’ premise is that Jesus’ ministry contained five separate contexts in which people live as disciples. They are: Public, Social, Personal, Transparent, and Divine. The contexts are determined by size and but distinguished by their purpose.
Their point is that each of these contexts were necessary to Jesus and therefore necessary for us, but they are not interchangeable. In order for discipleship to fulfill its purpose of making people into little Jesus, each context must be allowed to fulfill its purpose and not the purpose of another context.
In other words: Let big church be big church and small groups be small groups. Don’t try to shoehorn one context into another, but use each for what their for and they’ll shine. Don’t bring a knife to a church-fight :-)
It was very helpful for me to realize that by not expecting the big public church context meet my social needs or my relational needs. It’s not built for that, but I expect it to meet that need, and I can leave feeling very disappointed. Embracing this approach lets me focus on what the context is built for and get excited to live in the other contexts.
You’ll really enjoy this if you’re a leader looking to change how your group functions. It’s helpful for people not in that role but far more valuable for people looking for that.
The authors’ premise is that Jesus’ ministry contained five separate contexts in which people live as disciples. They are: Public, Social, Personal, Transparent, and Divine. The contexts are determined by size and but distinguished by their purpose.
Their point is that each of these contexts were necessary to Jesus and therefore necessary for us, but they are not interchangeable. In order for discipleship to fulfill its purpose of making people into little Jesus, each context must be allowed to fulfill its purpose and not the purpose of another context.
In other words: Let big church be big church and small groups be small groups. Don’t try to shoehorn one context into another, but use each for what their for and they’ll shine. Don’t bring a knife to a church-fight :-)
It was very helpful for me to realize that by not expecting the big public church context meet my social needs or my relational needs. It’s not built for that, but I expect it to meet that need, and I can leave feeling very disappointed. Embracing this approach lets me focus on what the context is built for and get excited to live in the other contexts.
You’ll really enjoy this if you’re a leader looking to change how your group functions. It’s helpful for people not in that role but far more valuable for people looking for that.
April 3, 2018
The authors believe there are five contexts for discipleship: the public, social, personal, transparent, and divine contexts. Christianity happens in relationships. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of salvation to everyone who believes, but they are not meant to believe alone. When a person is saved, they are saved into a body--the body of Christ on this earth called the Church. That is why evangelism and discipleship must be done together. God disciples us in the different relationships we are in. Jesus had his relationship with God, the Three, the Twelve, the Seventy, and the crowds. We have our circles or contexts too. The church services, our service communities or Sunday School classes, our small groups, deep friendships or marriages, and our alone time with God Himself. Seeing how God disciples you in each of these contexts and how you fit to disciple others in those contexts is what the book hopes to achieve.
October 13, 2018
I wasn't sure what I would think about this book when I first put it on my list to read. It's been on it a while and I've finally finished reading it. The premise is that there are five levels of relationships that people operate in during the course of their lives and the church needs to be faithful to the "rules of engagement" for each of these relationships. They are...
1. Public - large groups of 100s or more
2. Social - groups of 20-70
3. Personal - groups of 4-12
4. Transparent - groups of 2-4
5. Divine - alone with God
Any church leader would benefit by considering the ideas expressed by the authors, who emphasize their commitment to the church being on the forefront of making disciples who make disciples. I highly recommend it.
1. Public - large groups of 100s or more
2. Social - groups of 20-70
3. Personal - groups of 4-12
4. Transparent - groups of 2-4
5. Divine - alone with God
Any church leader would benefit by considering the ideas expressed by the authors, who emphasize their commitment to the church being on the forefront of making disciples who make disciples. I highly recommend it.
April 10, 2021
Harrington and Absalom take an interesting sociological perspective as they teach on the five contexts of discipleship. This book was helped me realize why some discipleship strategies are set up to win and why others can be destined to fail. Many churches can focus solely on the weekend service while others put all their emphasis on small groups or mentoring. Instead, the authors show the necessity of an integrated approach that includes everything from large gatherings to a one-on-one time with God. I highly recommend this book as a tool and resource for those who feel stagnate in their church's discipleship strategy.
Read
February 25, 2023This is an excellent review of the "rules" we experience within different social contexts from a Christian point of view. The authors challenge Christians to think creatively about how discipleship can and does happen differently within each social context. Drawing on the commission from Christ to go into all the world making disciples, this book encourages us to embrace this commission wholeheartedly with love and grace in addition to strategic thinking.
August 16, 2018
I’m learning that a lot of books could be just long blogs. This is one that would qualify. That being said it would def. be a blog I would tell people about and share. The book was good and has the big point of knowing your space and context.
In short, the book emphasizes that it is important to know your context and space and through that you can disciple well.
In short, the book emphasizes that it is important to know your context and space and through that you can disciple well.
October 2, 2019
Selon moi, le titre et la couverture du livre porte définitivement à confusion mais les concepts sont excellents et fascinants! C’est essentiellement de la sociologie appliquée à l’église et à la formation de disciple. Je pense juste que le livre est plus long que nécessaire. This is skim reading, but immensely practical and insightful.
November 1, 2020
A very practical and helpful book. Written in an easy to read style, I found the content about the 5 contexts of interaction especially helpful. Being able to look at my church and see where we are missing one or more of those key levels helps chart a course for strengthening our discipleship efforts.
September 27, 2025
Simple but practical. Helpful for those leading in a ministry context. Looks at discipleship in different contexts from both a biblical perspective and a sociological perspective. Helps churches or ministries see effective ways to do discipleship based on the context, and also points out certain forms of discipleship that might be missing in a church or ministry
March 13, 2025
A Good Primer for Disupleship
I think this a good primer for those looking to where to start in developing discipleship. I recommend it highly as I found it reflected my own experiences.
I think this a good primer for those looking to where to start in developing discipleship. I recommend it highly as I found it reflected my own experiences.
August 8, 2022
Of the Discipleship books I've read - this one is one of the most important.
August 12, 2022
Cool thoughts on how different church structures contribute to discipleship. I wish that there was a more clear way to bring all those aspects together in the system depicted by the author.
October 22, 2024
Incredibly practical book. This is a great read for people in full time ministry and those not in full time ministry. It gave many practical steps to grow in discipleship!
July 29, 2016
This book is a must-read for any church or individual wanting to fulfill the Great Commission from Matthew 28:19-20. Nowadays, too many of our fellowships are concerned with one of two things: either evangelizing folks and creating as many converts as possible, or transmitting information about the Bible to people who are already saved in the hope that they will grow in knowledge of Jesus Christ. We don't really know what it means to make disciples or get connected with one another. Filled with Scripture and examples from both Old and New Testaments, this book provides lots of testimonials from folks in churches and small groups today that are successfully doing all four.
More than just a preachy Bible study about how Jesus discipled those around Him, this book is a fantastic marriage of biblical and sociological information. Based on the relational theory of Edward T. Hall, called Proxemics, and Joseph Myers' book, The Search to Belong, authors Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom discuss five contexts in which disciples of Christ are made. Going from the largest (and therefore least intimate) context to the smallest (and most intimate), they are:
* Public--the Sunday morning worship service, a Christian concert, Jesus rally or revival meeting, consisting of over 100 people, gathered primarily as consumers focused on what is transmitted from the stage/pulpit
* Social--a large Sunday school class, outreach team, or backyard barbecue with 20-70 people who interact somewhat in a shared activity
* Personal--what most churches call "small groups" with 4-12 people who get closer, sharing more of who they really are
* Transparent--truly relational groups of 2-4 trusted friends/confidants who share deeply with and challenge one another
* Divine--just you and God alone together, up-close and personal
Defining discipleship as "helping people trust and follow Jesus" and having the goal of "discipling others to make disciples," Bobby and Alex insist that discipleship is more than just sharing God's word and letting it change people; it is doing life together through relationships that shape and challenge one another. While the Sunday morning service is a great place to start, with the pastor and ministry team sharing vision and motivation, the real growth and transformation occurs in a more intimate context where people can ask questions, wrestle with issues and figure out together how to apply and implement what they learn. They picture the five contexts as a funnel, with the public context at the top and the Divine context at the bottom, that progressively draw people closer to God and each other.
Each context is covered in two chapters. The first describes the context, giving biblical and contemporary examples, including the advantages and limitations of that context. The second one gives practical advice in how to implement such a group, addressing common mistakes and misconceptions that can hinder outcomes. The authors draw extensively on their own experiences and those of their disciple-making churches, but also quote from other authors who have written about the subject. There is an excellent small group covenant on page 182. The appendixes include a great discussion of Ephesians 4:11-13, the "one another statements" from the New Testament, and copious reference notes from the book. Each context has action points for pastors/churches, plus a bibliography for further recommended reading.
Out of the entire 240 pages, I spotted only two typos. I'd say the authors are either impeccable writers, or they had a fantastic editorial team. The book is well-written, easy to understand, and extremely practical. If you want to grow in your relationships with Jesus and other believers, this will help you determine which contexts would best facilitate that process. Get yourself a copy to read, and one for your pastor, as well. Together you can help your church become more of a disciple-making church that grows in depth, as well as numbers.
More than just a preachy Bible study about how Jesus discipled those around Him, this book is a fantastic marriage of biblical and sociological information. Based on the relational theory of Edward T. Hall, called Proxemics, and Joseph Myers' book, The Search to Belong, authors Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom discuss five contexts in which disciples of Christ are made. Going from the largest (and therefore least intimate) context to the smallest (and most intimate), they are:
* Public--the Sunday morning worship service, a Christian concert, Jesus rally or revival meeting, consisting of over 100 people, gathered primarily as consumers focused on what is transmitted from the stage/pulpit
* Social--a large Sunday school class, outreach team, or backyard barbecue with 20-70 people who interact somewhat in a shared activity
* Personal--what most churches call "small groups" with 4-12 people who get closer, sharing more of who they really are
* Transparent--truly relational groups of 2-4 trusted friends/confidants who share deeply with and challenge one another
* Divine--just you and God alone together, up-close and personal
Defining discipleship as "helping people trust and follow Jesus" and having the goal of "discipling others to make disciples," Bobby and Alex insist that discipleship is more than just sharing God's word and letting it change people; it is doing life together through relationships that shape and challenge one another. While the Sunday morning service is a great place to start, with the pastor and ministry team sharing vision and motivation, the real growth and transformation occurs in a more intimate context where people can ask questions, wrestle with issues and figure out together how to apply and implement what they learn. They picture the five contexts as a funnel, with the public context at the top and the Divine context at the bottom, that progressively draw people closer to God and each other.
Each context is covered in two chapters. The first describes the context, giving biblical and contemporary examples, including the advantages and limitations of that context. The second one gives practical advice in how to implement such a group, addressing common mistakes and misconceptions that can hinder outcomes. The authors draw extensively on their own experiences and those of their disciple-making churches, but also quote from other authors who have written about the subject. There is an excellent small group covenant on page 182. The appendixes include a great discussion of Ephesians 4:11-13, the "one another statements" from the New Testament, and copious reference notes from the book. Each context has action points for pastors/churches, plus a bibliography for further recommended reading.
Out of the entire 240 pages, I spotted only two typos. I'd say the authors are either impeccable writers, or they had a fantastic editorial team. The book is well-written, easy to understand, and extremely practical. If you want to grow in your relationships with Jesus and other believers, this will help you determine which contexts would best facilitate that process. Get yourself a copy to read, and one for your pastor, as well. Together you can help your church become more of a disciple-making church that grows in depth, as well as numbers.
September 14, 2016
This book is a book about discipleship. Sounds simple, right? Discipleship, however, is a rather complicated category, full of subsections and differing opinions. This book comes with a forward from Thom Rainer, who is a leading theologian and Bible scholar, which lends credence to this work.
This book focuses on the disciples-making-disciples process, which is what discipleship is supposed to be. It goes beyond mere doctrine and basic theology, however, and focuses on practical application in five contexts: public, social, personal, transparent, and divine. This book correctly recognizes that the Great Commission is not share the Gospel, but rather “make disciples.”Evangelism is an important and central role to discipleship, but not in the standard Christian interpretation. The authors of this book seek to establish a discipleship that more closely resembles the methods of the early community of faith.
The book opens with a “salesman” feel to it, arguing to convince the reader that this is the correct book on discipleship, and given the score of works in existence, this is understandable. However, it still doesn’t feel right to be bombarded with this approach right out of the gate. Regardless of the voice this book presents, there is good content to review. To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of this book’s voice. Nonetheless, for those looking at a simple treatise on discipleship, this book is one to consider. After all, having more peer-reviewed views to consider help in finding the right path to start on…
Disclosure: I have received a reviewer copy and/or payment in exchange for an honest review of the product mentioned in this post.
This book focuses on the disciples-making-disciples process, which is what discipleship is supposed to be. It goes beyond mere doctrine and basic theology, however, and focuses on practical application in five contexts: public, social, personal, transparent, and divine. This book correctly recognizes that the Great Commission is not share the Gospel, but rather “make disciples.”Evangelism is an important and central role to discipleship, but not in the standard Christian interpretation. The authors of this book seek to establish a discipleship that more closely resembles the methods of the early community of faith.
The book opens with a “salesman” feel to it, arguing to convince the reader that this is the correct book on discipleship, and given the score of works in existence, this is understandable. However, it still doesn’t feel right to be bombarded with this approach right out of the gate. Regardless of the voice this book presents, there is good content to review. To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of this book’s voice. Nonetheless, for those looking at a simple treatise on discipleship, this book is one to consider. After all, having more peer-reviewed views to consider help in finding the right path to start on…
Disclosure: I have received a reviewer copy and/or payment in exchange for an honest review of the product mentioned in this post.
March 31, 2016
What do you get when you combine a book focused on the goals of Sunday service, with a book on missional communities, with a book on small groups, with a book on life-on-life apprenticeship, with a book on private spiritual disciplines?
Discipleship is a word that has lost it’s proper meaning in our modern day context. This book does well at not just redefining the word but redefining its role in various contexts. I found this to be a very effective book on understanding discipleship especially as the process and goals of it relates to what the authors define as 5 separate relational contexts. The book is good at clarifying not only how each of these contexts differ but also how discipleship in each of these spaces differ as well. An organization that is committed to pursuing developing a framework that integrates all 5 of these contexts well will be setup for lasting impact.
As a pastor who currently is designing and developing a system of discipleship, I have found this book well timed and very helpful in confirming much of where God is challenging us on organizationally. There is alot of practical and helpful advice that is immediately applicable. What I loved most is this book creates a helpful framework for discipleship to occur in organizations of all sizes. I have read other “discipleship” books and they are written with a clear bias and will advocate life-on-life apprenticeship at the cost of all else. This book does well at giving proper goals for each context that fits them well. It is like reading 5 books in one with a clear focus on the goal of the Sunday service, goals of a missional community, goals of a small group system, goals of life-on-life mentoring, and spiritual formation where we are learning from God personally. It is one that will serve the followers of Jesus well for years to come.
Read full review here: http://joemcfadden.org/2016/03/31/dis...
Discipleship is a word that has lost it’s proper meaning in our modern day context. This book does well at not just redefining the word but redefining its role in various contexts. I found this to be a very effective book on understanding discipleship especially as the process and goals of it relates to what the authors define as 5 separate relational contexts. The book is good at clarifying not only how each of these contexts differ but also how discipleship in each of these spaces differ as well. An organization that is committed to pursuing developing a framework that integrates all 5 of these contexts well will be setup for lasting impact.
As a pastor who currently is designing and developing a system of discipleship, I have found this book well timed and very helpful in confirming much of where God is challenging us on organizationally. There is alot of practical and helpful advice that is immediately applicable. What I loved most is this book creates a helpful framework for discipleship to occur in organizations of all sizes. I have read other “discipleship” books and they are written with a clear bias and will advocate life-on-life apprenticeship at the cost of all else. This book does well at giving proper goals for each context that fits them well. It is like reading 5 books in one with a clear focus on the goal of the Sunday service, goals of a missional community, goals of a small group system, goals of life-on-life mentoring, and spiritual formation where we are learning from God personally. It is one that will serve the followers of Jesus well for years to come.
Read full review here: http://joemcfadden.org/2016/03/31/dis...
December 5, 2016
Overall, the book was just ok for me. I've read a lot of discipleship books, so my standard may be higher than others.
The book essentially looks at the different contexts that ministry/relationships can take place. 1. Crowd 2. Small Crowd 3. Small Groups 4. One to one / One to Two 5. God with an individual. The ideas they present with regard to the importance of these spaces was fine. My main objection was that they tried to fit their concepts of ministry into their definition(s) of discipleship.
The authors lack focus and precision in their use of the term discipleship. They define it as:
"helping people to trust and follow Jesus." pg.19
"imitation" pg. 36
"the transfer of knowledge" pg. 37
"a change of heart" pg. 37
"hearing what Jesus is saying and then doing something about it" pg. 40
These definitions are broad and don't prove helpful. In essence the book devolves into a look at the importance and usefulness of the different spheres of ministry. I agree about the value of each, but was hoping for a book that looked more intently and specifically about making disciples [the natural end of discipling].
Again, it's not a bad book, but it's not a book that plumbs the depths of how to make disciples in each ministry context.
The book essentially looks at the different contexts that ministry/relationships can take place. 1. Crowd 2. Small Crowd 3. Small Groups 4. One to one / One to Two 5. God with an individual. The ideas they present with regard to the importance of these spaces was fine. My main objection was that they tried to fit their concepts of ministry into their definition(s) of discipleship.
The authors lack focus and precision in their use of the term discipleship. They define it as:
"helping people to trust and follow Jesus." pg.19
"imitation" pg. 36
"the transfer of knowledge" pg. 37
"a change of heart" pg. 37
"hearing what Jesus is saying and then doing something about it" pg. 40
These definitions are broad and don't prove helpful. In essence the book devolves into a look at the importance and usefulness of the different spheres of ministry. I agree about the value of each, but was hoping for a book that looked more intently and specifically about making disciples [the natural end of discipling].
Again, it's not a bad book, but it's not a book that plumbs the depths of how to make disciples in each ministry context.
December 8, 2016
"Discipleship That Fits" is about how discipleship occurs in different group sizes. People don't normally feel comfortable sharing private struggles in a group of over 100 people, for example. The authors identified five types of groups and how people expect to interact in groups of that size. They also compared these group types to examples in the Bible, like Jesus teaching the crowds, the seventy-two, the twelve, the three, and spending time alone with His Father.
The authors speak from experience, and they share what they've learned. They included examples of how groups of these sizes might be organized. They're clear about the strengths, weaknesses, and goals of discipleship in each context and that all five are important in their different ways. While they included advice specifically for church leaders, it's actually aimed at any Christian. They wrote with a casual tone and were easy to understand. I'd recommend this book to Christians interested in forming discipleship groups.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
The authors speak from experience, and they share what they've learned. They included examples of how groups of these sizes might be organized. They're clear about the strengths, weaknesses, and goals of discipleship in each context and that all five are important in their different ways. While they included advice specifically for church leaders, it's actually aimed at any Christian. They wrote with a casual tone and were easy to understand. I'd recommend this book to Christians interested in forming discipleship groups.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
October 30, 2016
Giving this two stars ("it was OK") would have been a bit cruel, but .... The authors had much to say, and some of it quite well, about discipleship. As a recommendation I would call it a good 'refresher' (or perhaps 'encourager') for someone who knows and understands the importance of the act of discipling in the context of the church - particularly if you already understand the types of relationship (divine, transparent, personal, social, and public) and are wondering what's wrong with the intentionality of the discipling act in your church. But I don't think it will help the novice, or even fairly informed, arrive at intentional disciple-making. I think I was flavored initially by the authors choosing to present the public context first and work "down to" (my emphasis) the divine, when I am quite sure that a relationship with the Holy Spirit is where any of this must start.
December 22, 2018
For church leaders primarily. Very insightful, practical and honest approach to discipleship and empowering Christians to simply live out their faith in ordinary life. The most helpful book on church and practical discipleship I've seen so far. The 5 contexts approach is really helpful and makes the read worth it in my opinion.
September 18, 2024
The concepts of the book are hugely helpful when thinking through structuring a ministry, but I felt like the book was about twice as long as it needed to be.
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